Zutara Week: 2011
by Gentlewolf
Summary: From Zutara Week, 2011 in DeviantArt, July 25th to the 31st.  Prompts: Mask, History, Social Networking, Secret, Awkward, Legendary, and Caught.
1. Day 1: Mask

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 1: Mask_

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><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>This takes place during the _Ember Island Players_ episode in Book 3...

**Disclaimer: **I claim no rights to these characters. They are property of Mike and Brian, creators of ATLA. 

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><p>Katara's eyes widened in shock as the Blue Spirit suddenly appeared on stage to save the Avatar from Commander Zhao's clutches. She stared in disbelief at the sight of the mask. It was exactly the same as the one she had seen reoccurring in her dreams since she was a little girl.<p>

"My hero!" The actress playing Aang proclaimed, jumping down and sitting on the overly large mask to be carried off of the stage.

The Actor playing the Blue Spirit called himself the "scourge of the Fire Nation," which piqued her interest, and he saved the Avatar. She couldn't help but wonder why Aang hadn't ever mentioned it to them before. She was about to ask when her thoughts were cut off by the wretched sound of the actress who played her, crying…

Later, during the first intermission and after Toph commented about the truthfulness of everyone's character portrayals, Katara remembered. "I wonder who the Blue Spirit is," she mused out loud.

"What!" both Aang and Zuko sputtered in unison, drawing everyone's attention to them.

"Well…" Katara began to say, a little put off by their reaction. "If he's called the scourge of the Fire Nation, don't you think he could help us?"

Aang and Zuko exchanged a disconcerting glance. "He's already helping…" they answered as one.

Katara's eyes narrowed and she studied them with scrutiny. "How do you know?"

"Well, he helped me once already," Aang replied before raising a hand to the back of his neck. "Though it wasn't anything like they depicted here…"

"Yeah," Zuko chimed in. "And I heard he was in Ba Sing Se helping… people…"

Oh really? How did you hear about that?" Katara's stare seemed to bore holes through him.

"Well, you know…" Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, guys. Come on, act two is about to start," Sokka interrupted and began to usher everyone back into the theater.

When the second act was just as disappointing as the first, everyone but Toph took it personal. After Katara returned from her encounter with Aang, Toph couldn't help but to make a jeering comment about her sudden mood change. "What's up Sweetness? Did your actress not tearbend enough in this last act for you?"

"You know Toph, why don't you just go bury yourself!" Of course, she didn't really mean it. Her discussion with Aang had left her irritated and in no mood to deal with Toph's banter.

Toph stood in a huff. "Geez, you don't have to take everything so seriously. I'm going to get some fire gummies," and with that, she took off down the stairs.

Katara slid down the wall where Toph had been, slumping in a heap at Zuko's side.

"So… uh… The Blue Spirit…" Zuko said after a moment of silence.

"What about him?" Katara had pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face there, which muffled her voice.

"… I could… give you information about him if you'd like… after the play."

She looked up at him, her expression seeming to brighten. "Really?"

"Sure," he nodded and studied her face. "But… may I ask why you're so interested?"

Katara tried to hide her look of surprise and averted her eyes to look past him. "I already said…"

"And Toph told me that you were lying," he cut her off to say. In truth, when Toph had confronted him about their previous conversation from the first intermission she had told him to cut the crap... that she knew all three of them hadn't been telling the whole truth. She knew that something was off. Thankfully Katara had returned before she could drill him for answers.

"What! When?" Katara's eyes returned to his.

"Just now, before you came back."

With a sigh, she rested her chin on her knees and clinched her arms tighter around her legs. Of course… it was impossible to hide anything from the Blind Bandit. "I… I've had dreams about that mask since I was a little girl."

"Oh?"

"I can't help but think it's somehow a part of my destiny."

"Oh…"

"Do you think he's a bender?" Katara turned her face to the side to ask.

"What?" Zuko was hardly able to contain the shock in the sound of his voice.

Katara looked away again and stared off over the balcony to the floor below them. "Because Aunt Wu said that I would marry a powerful bender."

"Oh…" Zuko tried to sound uninterested, but found his mind racing to process all of this information. He stared out at her from under the hood of his cloak. Was destiny trying to tell him something?

Fidgeting with the hem of her dress, Katara couldn't help but wonder if she wasn't about to unlock another part of her destiny. "Yeah… So, uh… When should we meet after the play?"

"Tonight, when everyone's asleep… out in the court yard."

_~*~To Be Continued With Day 4 – Secret.~*~_


	2. Day 2: History

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 2: History_

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><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> So, this was just a bit of fun I thought I'd have. One of my Zutara kidlets. (Well, technically she's one of my Azon and Kawai kidlets from my ATLA RP with _Scooterly_ in **DeviantArt**. Azon is Scooter's Meiko son and Kawai is my Tokka daughter, and a waterbender, I thought that I could use Ta Min here as being one of Zutara's kids. Her personality here is different then in the rp anyway. I imagine her as a firebender, here... where as she is a nonbender in the rp.)

SO ANYWAY... you will meet my other Zutara kidlet later on this week... (Well, Kazon kidlet, really... but you get the point.)

Oh, and I first mentioned/wrote about the **"Ball of Nations,"** in my Tokka fic for the _Secret Cupid_ exchange in the Tokka-Fans-United club in DeviantArt... Of course, these two fics don't have any relation to one another. Just thought if you were curious to find out more about it, you could check out the fic in portfolio.

**Disclaimer** I claim no rights to these characters, except for Ta Min - the 5 year old little girl... not Zuko's great grandmother. All other characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of **ATLA**. 

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><p>"And the rest is history."<p>

Ta Min sat and listened to her father talk about how he met her mother. "Tell me again, how you got together. Please?" She gave the best polar bear puppy eyes that she could. It was her favorite story.

"Okay," Zuko said. "But then it's bedtime for little princesses, alright?"

"Kay!" the five-year-old exclaimed and nuzzled back into his lap.

"After the end of the 100 years war, rebuilding the world and restoring peace wasn't an easy task. There was much to do and we, team avatar - as your uncle liked to call us, had to accomplish these things either alone or in pairs. Your mother and your uncle wanted to return home…"

"To help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe!" Ta Min chimed in.

Zuko nodded and silently wondered why he had to tell the story again when she knew it by heart. "So the Avatar stayed to help me with things here. Afterwards, we all met again in Ba Sing Se.."

"At the Jasmine Dragon," she interrupted.

Again, Zuko nodded. "It was understood that your mother and the Avatar were a couple." Ta Min made a funny face. Zuko smiled at her, "Well, at the time I was with Mai." To this, she wrinkled her nose.

Zuko continued, "The team split up again, for awhile. When I next saw your mother…"

"It was at the first Ball of Nations!" Ta Min squealed. She loved the annual Ball of Nations; all of the beautiful dresses, the yummy food and the dancing. She loved hiding and watching everyone, even though she was supposed to be in bed. This year would be the first time she'd be allowed to attend, if even only for an hour. It still made her happy, though. "And mommy was Bea… U… Tiful," she exaggerated the word by stretching it out.

Zuko sighed. "Alright, who's telling this story?"

"Sorry, daddy…" Ta Min pouted.

"Anyway… Yes, she was beautiful, but also in attendance as the Avatar's date." Ta Min stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose again. It wasn't that she had anything against the Avatar she just didn't like the idea of him being with mommy. "I later found her, alone, out in the court yard." Ta Min looked like she wanted to say something, so he paused. Shaking his head with a smile he gestured for her to continue.

"Mommy was tired of how childish the Avatar was. She didn't want to marry a child she wanted to marry a man."

At that, Zuko raised his one eyebrow, wondering where she had heard such phrasing from. "Well… Something like that, I suppose," he gave her a sheepish grin.

"Then you and the Avatar had an Agni Kai for Mommy's hand!" Ta Min exclaimed in excitement.

"Now you're making things up," Zuko told her sternly, causing her to pout again.

"But it's more exciting that way. It's more romantic!"

"Romantic?" Zuko narrowed his eyes at his daughter. She was already talking about romance… at **her** age? The thought was too much for him to handle. "Ok, I think that's enough for one night, time for bed."

"Awww… Daddy, but the story isn't finished!"

"For tonight it is," he said, sliding off of the bed and turning to cover her up. "Good night, Princess." He bent to kiss her forehead.

"Good night, daddy…

After crossing the room, and closing the door when he exited, he turned to walk down the hall only to run into his wife. Katara stood watching him with a smug expression on her face. "An Agni Kai with the Avatar, huh?" She giggled at the idea.

Zuko rolled his eyes with a huff. "As if… I would have lost for sure."

Katara took a step closer to him and laid a hand against his chest. "There you go again, underestimating yourself." She pushed up on her toes to kiss him. "She does have a point, though. It is pretty romantic, being fought over between the Avatar and the Fire Lord.


	3. Day 3: Social Networking

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 3: Social Networking_

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><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> Nothing really to say here... hope ya'll enjoy it. ^_^

**Disclaimer** I claim no rights to these characters. All characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of **ATLA**. 

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><p>"Dad… Do we have to do this? Katara's complaint sounded like a whine.<p>

Now, Katara, I don't like it anymore then you do. You know just as well as I do, though, that the new world order is expecting this." Hakoda wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders and drew her against his side. "I've already drawn the line about any arrangements being made. The southern traditions will be upheld."

Katara nodded and hugged him around the waist, letting out a soft sight. Tonight, the South Pole was hosting a party in her honor, to announce that she was of marrying age. Since the end of the war and the restoration of the Southern Tribe, and after the untimely death of the Northern Tribe's princess, Katara had become well know – world wide – as being the new "Water Princess." Of course, this sounded ridiculous to her. She had always been the chief's daughter. She wasn't "new" in any true sense of the word. Her father was being pressured by delegates worldwide to accept marriage proposals for his daughter's hand in order to strengthen ties between nations. The excuse that she was the Avatar's girlfriend had been seen as a joke. One man going so far as to point out that the Avatar was a child. It was then Sokka who made the comment that Katara was more like a mother to Aang and that her motherly nature was confused for romantic love. Their "relationship" started to take a nose dive after that. In the end they had come to the mutual conclusion that they were better off as friends.

Now, she was being paraded around and introduced to a variety of young men from each of the three nations. Some were old friends that she had met during her travels, like Haru. Others were the sons of important figure heads – she didn't pay much attention to them, though. She was only required to mingle and dance with a few of them. The whole affair could have been better described as a show of southern hospitality. There was food from ever nation, both traditional and nontraditional music, and the large communal fire in the center of the village provided warmth to anyone who wished to venture outside.

As soon as Katara was able to slip away, she did, though it was more than half way through the night. Sneaking out the back entrance of the counsel hall – where the majority of the guests lingered – she made her way, unseen, towards and out the village gate. Leaning her back against the wall of snow she took a breath of fresh, cool air. Finally, she was alone. Or so she thought…

With the stealth of the Blue Spirit, Zuko had managed to get through the night unseen. He had only come at the demands of his advisors. Using his breath of fire to keep warm in the fringed climate, he walked around the outside of the village wall. Upon rounding a corner, he stopped, surprised to find – thanks to the midnight sun – Katara standing in the distance. She had already seen him otherwise he would have retreated back around the corner.

"Zuko?" she asked while approaching him.

"Ka… tara… Hi, fancy seeing you here," he laughed and brought a hand to rub the back of his neck.

"I'm more surprised to see you here…"

"Yeah…" he replied, avoiding eye contact. "My advisors can't wrap their heads around your tribe's views against marriage arrangements. I tried explaining it to them." He had spent enough time with Katara during his travels with the Avatar and gang to have heard the story behind her necklace.

Katara watched him curiously. He looked like he had just been caught stealing rations – nervous and unsure, not at all like the political leader she had come to know him as being over the past year and a half. He wasn't dressed like the Firelord, but rather wore a traditional noblemen's outfit of red pants and a long sleeved shirt – trimmed in black – that were made of a heavier material from the Earth Kingdom. A heavy black robe, trimmed in gold, fell to his knees and tied around the waist. "Aren't you cold?" she found herself asking when she found herself shivering. She had forgotten her heavy parka in her haste to escape for solitude. Seeing this, Zuko stepped closer to her.

"Not really," he shrugged. He took a deep breath, exhaled steam, and radiated warmth. Katara found herself drawn to him and took a step closer.

"That's handy…"

To her comment, Zuko's smirk turned into a smile and he found himself opening his arms to her. Somewhat surprised when she took another step forward, he stiffly wrapped them around her shoulders. Her sigh of contentment when she let her forehead rest against his shoulder sent a sudden chill up his spine, despite his warmth.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have been happy to receive you," she found herself admitting. This was the boy… man whom had helped her avenge her mother, whom she had helped defeat his sister. They worked well together. She couldn't deny feeling a connection… a bond with him.

"Well, I, uh…," he stumbled over his words, unsure of what he should say. "I didn't want to intrude."

Katara pulled back just enough to look up at him with a raised eyebrow and smiled. "You're not the one intruding. Everyone else here is.


	4. Day 4: Secret

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 4: Secret_

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><p><strong>Author Note:<strong> Again, not much to say here. This is a continuation from Day 1: Mask that takes place during the **Ember Island Players** episode.

**Disclaimer** I claim no rights to these characters. All characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of **ATLA**. 

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><p><em>Continued from Zutara Week: Day 1 – Mask…<em>

Later that night, back at the Fire Lord's beach house, when everyone was asleep Katara snuck out of the room that she shared with Toph and Suki. Once out in the court yard where Zuko and Aang had been doing their training, she stared up at the full moon. A shiver of anticipation crept through her as she thought that she might soon discover another part of her destiny. The Blue Spirit, whose mask had been a part of her dreams since she was a little girl. Crossing her arms in the attempt to calm her excitement as well as to guard herself from disappointment, she wondered what kind of information Zuko could give her about the man behind the mask - the "scourge of the Fire Nation." What was he like? Was he a powerful bender?

"Are you cold?" Katara jumped at the sound of his voice. She hadn't heard him come out… or had he already been out here waiting? She turned to look at him. He must have been sitting on the other side of the dried out water fountain.

"What? No!" She let her arms drop to her sides. There was a "cool" breeze coming from the ocean and the temperature had dropped from the scorching heat of the day. "pfft… You think this is cold?" She waved a hand as if to dismiss the notion as being ridiculous. "I've lived on one large sheet of ice most of my life."

Zuko gave a nervous laugh as he approached her. "Yeah…" There was silence between them for a moment. "Beautiful night."

"Yeah…," Katara replied, looking back up at the moon. "So… About the Blue Spirit?"

"Yeah…," Zuko repeated. The awkwardness between them was thick.

"What were you… Um… Going to tell me about him?"

Zuko cleared his throat and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was he doing this, especially after her comments earlier about her dreams and destiny? "You're the Avatar's girl…" He found himself remembering the scene from the play.

"Excuse me?"

Looking up, he found her glaring ice daggers at him. Her arms once again crossed over her chest. _Shoot… Did I say that out loud?_ "I… Uh… That is. I know who he is."

Katara's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Who, the Blue Spirit? Really? Who is he?" As her excitement grew, her guarded expression relaxed.

Zuko watched her carefully. He no longer had any proof. He had thrown his mask into the depths of Lake Laogai. Would she even believe him? What of her dreams… her supposed destiny? Were they somehow tied to him?

Growing impatient, Katara took a step closer to him. They now barely stood an arm's length apart. "Zuko?"

Looking down into her blue eyes, he jolted as if an electric shock had hit him. She must have felt it too because her eyes went wide with surprise."It's me…" Shaking her head in disbelief, she took a step back. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose again and let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I don't expect you to believe me. I got rid of the evidence back in Ba Sing Se."

"Wh… What are you talking about?"

She was looking at him as if he had betrayed her again. "I threw the mask into the lake after freeing Appa," he explained, holding his hands up in defense.

Katara took her time to process this information. What had he said about freeing Appa when he first tried to join them? Appa really seemed to like him, then. Toph had said he wasn't lying about it, too. Eventually she took another step towards him. He stood still, watching her. Was it true then? Was this the man of her destiny? Was he the one her dreams were telling her about? He was a powerful bender too, after all.

For a moment it was like that time after they had returned from confronting Yon Rha. So when she suddenly jumped into his arms, he wrapped them instantly around her. He wasn't sure where things would go from here or what the future might hold, but he couldn't help finding that he believed his destiny must somehow be tied to hers.


	5. Day 5: Awkward

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 5 - Awkward_

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><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Hmmm... Is Zuko trying to win her favor of does the universe just keep throwing them together? I suppose you can look at it either way.

****Disclaimer:** **I claim no rights to these characters. All characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of ATLA.****

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><p>Katara climbed up the steps at the Western Air Temple carrying a basket of laundry that needed to be hung out to dry. Along the way, she muttered complaints about how no one ever bothered to help. She was the one who did all of the cooking and all of the laundry, while Aang, Toph and Zuko trained, Sokka plotted and planned, and Haru, Teo, and The Duke ran around exploring the temple.<p>

Distracted by her thoughts she tripped over the last step. The laundry basket came down hard on the floor before her and she adjusted her position to somehow stumble around it. Feeling herself falling to the side, she braced herself, but felt a hand come under her arm and another wrap around her waist to catch and steady her. She expected that it was her brother. After adjusting her footing she made to step away, but the hold didn't loosen. Looking back to say something, instead of blue she found a pair of amber eyes watching her and froze under their gaze.

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked with sincere concern.

"F… Fine," she stuttered and pulled more forcefully out of his hold._ Why did it have to be him? _she wondered to herself. It always seemed to be him. Whenever she needed something… He was there. Like early that morning when she couldn't find her spark rocks to light the cooking fire, he was the only other person awake and had been more than happy to offer assistance. It was all very awkward. Moving quickly to retrieve her basket she hurried away.

Later that night, despite her exhaustion, she found that she couldn't sleep. Her mind just wouldn't rest. With the hopes to clear her thoughts she left her room to take a walk. The moon was waxing just past its darkest phase and appeared as just a sliver in the sky. The stars seemed to number in the thousands and she located the Magnus Lupus – the Great Wolf – which, at the South Pole, was a winter constellation. There were stories told around the communal fire about what the being had done for them on earth and how it came to ascend into the heavens.

Moving on, she soon found herself in a part of the temple that she hadn't yet explored. In the middle of the night, though, it was a bad idea. There wasn't enough light to see by and she hadn't brought a lantern with her. The hall continued to lead her through darkness and she had to guide her way with a hand along the wall. The corridor seemed endless and she didn't realize just how far she had followed it until the walk back felt like it was taking forever. Her heart was starting to race in panic when she finally saw a light and sprinted towards it.

Shielding her eyes from the brightness, she squinted to see who had come to find her. "Oh thank the spirits, how did you know to find me here?"

"I saw you head this way but not come out." Katara froze at the sound of Zuko's voice.

"What are you doing here? Why are you following me? Can't you turn that thing down some? I can't see," she snapped.

"Oh… Sorry…," he muttered and reduced the size of the flame that he carried in his hand. She could now see that he only wore pants and found herself staring at his sculpted chest and stomach, trying to deny how the sight affected her. "I only followed you when I noticed you'd been gone for too long. This hall is a dead end."

"Well, why were you watching me to begin with and how do you know that?" she asked, referring to his reference about the hall.

"I couldn't sleep and I overheard Haru and Teo talking about it," he answered, pinching the bridge of his nose and turning his back to her. "You coming or do you like spending the night in dark hallways?"

Katara stared at his back for a moment before following after him. The silence between them, as they walked, was awkward. She didn't understand why it always had to be him who came to her rescue, but she knew she couldn't falter… couldn't let her guard down. She was convinced that he would betray them again and when he did, she was determined to be the one to confront him.


	6. Day 6: Legendary

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 6 - Legendary_

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><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>And here it is! An introduction to my second Zutara kidlet - Lu Ten.

(Again... he was originally created as the child of my Tokka kidlet and _Scooterly's_ Meiko kidet in our **ATLA** roleplay... but I figured I could use him (like I used his sister in Day 2: History) since I doubt I'll ever get around to writing anything about them from the Roleplay. They technically haven't even been born yet in the roleplay anyway.)

So, if you couldn't tell already - it would be pretty hard not to - Lu Ten is a waterbender. Ta Min I imagine as being a firebender. I imagine this happening a few years after Day 2: History (When Ta Min is 5.) I picture Lu Ten being 5 or 6 here, which would make Ta Min about 7 or 8.

**Disclaimer** I claim no rights to these characters, except for Ta Min and Lu Ten - the children in this fic not the original characters from the series. All other characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of **ATLA**. 

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><p>Ta Min sat beside the Turtle Duck pond next to her mother. Meanwhile her little brother, Lu Ten, was acting out his favorite bedtime story – the Agni Kai between his father and aunt Azula at the end of the war. "Then dad saved mom from aunt Azula's lightening like this!" the young boy explained as he jumped in front of his sister.<p>

"Ow!" Ta Min cried when he accidently landed on top of her. "Mom! That hurt!"

"Well, it wasn't exactly like that, but yes, your father saved my life," Katara pulled her son off of her daughter and into her lap, "except he didn't land on his sister in the process." She thought about the possibilities if he had and laughed.

"It was really mom who defeated Aunt Azula," Ta Min announced, annoyed that Lu Ten hadn't gotten in trouble. She felt that their mother babied him too much.

"I know that!" Lu Ten replied, sticking his tongue out at her.

"And let's not forget that it was also your mother who saved my life in the end," Zuko commented as he approached his family from behind and settled down between his wife and daughter.

At the sound of his father's voice, Lu Ten nodded animatedly. "Yep! After she froze aunt Azula in water," he jumped up from Katara's lap to imitate how she summoned the water up from the storm drain – at that same moment a wave of water rose up from the pond – "and chained her up!" He fell into his father's lap and the wave of water crashed back down, splashing over them.

Ta Min squealed in protest, throwing her arms up to shield herself. "Mom!"

"Oh Ta Min, it's just water…" Katara laughed, bending it out of her daughter's clothes and back into the pond. "It's just about time for dinner, you two run along and get washed up."

They watched their children run back into the palace and Zuko chuckled as he helped Katara stand. She looked at him curiously. "What's so funny?"

"That story is going to go down in history. It's legendary."


	7. Day 7: Caught

**Zutara Week 2011**

_Day 7 - Caught_

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><p><strong>Author Note: <strong>Again, not much to say here. Had a lot of fun writing this one. ^_^

**Disclaimer** I claim no rights to these characters, except for Ta Min and Lu Ten - the children in this fic not the original characters from the series. All other characters are property of Mike and Brian, creators of **ATLA**. 

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><p>The halls of the Fire Nation palace were dimly lit. Shadows danced by the light of the sparsely placed oil lamps. Behind the decorative pillars provided excellent hiding places.<p>

**~*~Flashback~*~**

_Katara entered the royal bedroom after finally getting Lu Ten to go to sleep. Zuko was already sitting in bed propped up by a mountain of pillows. He wore a pair of silk sleeping pants and a robe that was left open to reveal his well sculpted chest and abs. She swallowed at the sight of him, trying not to let the image soften her annoyance. "It's not fair, how are you able to put Ta Min to sleep so quickly?" Of course, she knew it was because she was too soft on her son and let him talk her into an extra bedtime story… Twice!_

_Zuko just grinned and watched as she took off her outer robe to reveal her light, nearly sheer night gown. It was blue and well fitted to her curves while still being loose and flowing. His amber eyes danced like the fire of the wall scones at the sight of her._

_Not paying him much attention as she sat at her vanity to brush her hair, she gave a little sigh. "Sometimes I really miss the good ol' days."_

_Already off of the bed, Zuko stealthily crossed the room. With her hair gathered over one shoulder he leaned forward to press a light kiss on her neck before whispering, "I can chase you around some, if that'll help."_

**~*~End of Flashback~*~**

Running from one column to the next, Katara was careful to move as silently as she could. Of course, she didn't want to alert the night watch guards to the little game of cat and mouse going on between the Fire Lord and Lady. Besides, Zuko had forced her to flee from their room without her robe in order to avoid getting caught. She dashed around a corner and down another hall, keeping to the shadows. At the sound of the heavy footsteps of a guardsman, she ducked into a room – one that they normally used for entertaining family and friends. When she was sure that he was gone, she continued on her way.

Having just exited the secret passage that he had been following, Zuko couldn't believe his luck when he saw Katara cross right in front of him. It had been all too easy to find her, so he decided to entertain himself and follow her. She was doing a pretty good job at staying hidden, though and he lost track of her a few times. The last time, he caught sight of her again as she stepped out into the garden.

Katara could barely suppress a giggle. Zuko thought he was being so sneaky, but of course she knew he was following her. She purposely led him outside. The moon had waned past its fullest and now appeared as a half of the whole up in the sky. Hiding amidst a variety of flowers and shrubbery she sat, like a polar leopard, and waited for her prey. She didn't have to wait for long before she caught the glimpse of a shadow sprinting between the trees. Whispering a silent apology, she usurped the water from the nearest flower bed – the gardener would be furious in the morning – and extended the liquid rope forward, hearing Zuko yelp when she tied him to a tree. Standing to approach her catch, she came at him from behind and flirtatiously whispered, "I'll save you from the pirates."


End file.
